Panel joint and method of making the same



Oct. 29, 1935. f J, R, RQB|N5ON 2,019,095

PANEL JOINT AND METHOD OF' MAKING THE SAME Filed July 5, 1933 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PANEL JOINT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 6 Claims.

My invention relates to a method of joining together panels, and apparatus for carrying out the same.

More particularly, my invention relates to the art of joining together panels, such as panels used to form walls, in such a manner that the joint between the panels is properly hidden, so that the same is not noticeable at the time the installation is completed.

Furthermore, my invention relates to the formation of a joint which provides means to maintain the joint not noticeable, despite the ordinary shrinkage and expansion obtaining in the panels.

The use of panels for the construction of walls has been restricted in practical use, because the joints could not be properly hidden. One attempt to hide the joint made use of trim over the joint. This use of trim over the joint, or the use of a batten, was Very limited in utility and could be used only as in rooms Where this specic construction blended or t in with the general decoration of the room.

Another practice obtaining in the attempt to obtain a successful joint, resulted in the use of narrow strips of various materials, such as cloth or paper over the joint. After the application of this covering strip over the joint, it was necessary to apply a heavy plastic paint to hide the joining strips. This practice was characterized by the shortcoming that a natural grain finish was not possible, and furthermore that the shrinkage and expansion of the panels after installation caused a break in the covering strip or wrinkles therein. These breaks or wrinkles caused a disturbance of the plastic material over the joint and resulted in an unsightly appearance, and for practical purposes ruined the wall.

The plaster board art has used a plastic ller in the joints. This plastic material shrinks upon drying and a strip of metal or wire netting is superimposed over the joint, and then a heavy plastic paint is used as a final nishing for the wall. This type of paint is necessaryto provide a suflicient body to hide the depth of the strips over the joints. The shortcomings of this type of a joint are very similar to those described in connection with the taped joint where a narrow strip of cloth, paper, or the like are used. This joint, however, is somewhat stronger, due to the ller between the joint and the metallic like strip on the surface.

Many lapped or beveled joints have been substituted in place of the previously described batten joints, but all of the joints found in the art stained, or covered with a plastic material. 10

The above mentioned general objects of my invention, together with others inherent in the same, are attained by the mechanism and product illustrated in the following drawing, the same being preferred exemplary forms of embodiment 1U of my invention, throughout which drawing like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Figure l is a perspective View, with parts broken away, of the end portions of two panels secured to a supporting member and leaving the 20" usual seam or joint between the ends of said panels;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofthe parts shown in Figure 1 with the addition that the ller strip has been inserted into place; 25

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating a manner of scoring the filler strip to produce a well defined cleavage line on said strip;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrat- 30"4v` lng the manner of breaking off the excess portion of the filler strip along the cleavage line;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View illustrating a manner of finishing the filler strip flush with the panel surfaces;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the parts shown in Fig. 2 with the addition that the filler strip has been cut down and finished to form an integral part of the surface portion of the wall; and

Fig. 7 is a View in perspective of the filler strips 46T which are cut in sets for convenient handling and shipping.

In the construction of my device the edge portions of panels l0 and Il are secured preferably by nailing to a studding I2 or similar support- 45 ing member. A seam or crack I3 is left between the panels at the time of installation. In actual practice I i-lnd that le of an inch between the panels is satisfactory spacing. One practical method of obtaining this spacing is to insert four 50 penny finishing nails I5 as gauges between the edges of adjacent panels and then secure the panels to the supporting members I2. One of the wedge shaped fillers I4 is broken off of the block of filler strips shown in Fig. '7 and such 55 Y se , filler stripis then slightly glued on both faces so that it is under compression. The glue is then permitted to setg'and then rthe wedge `shaped V si member I4 is broken Yoii slightly higher than the and insertedinto the seam I3. VPreferably the wedge Vshaped member I 4 is driven into place surface of the wall. This may be .accomplished by scoring the wedge shaped member above the the'use of @a chiselIB and thenbreaking off the extra, part of the wedge shaped Vmember I4 along this score orfcleavage line as illustrated in Fig. 4.

V'I'hereafter nishing substances, such as" ne y. lj putty according to working art. 55T

sand'papenvmay be Aused to4 sand off Vandremove the remaining stub flush with the Vwall as illustrated in Fig. 5. This results in a smoothflush Wall as illustrated in Fig. 6. Where ajoint befL tweenfadjacent panel members is. formed of ma '1,

terial similar to the rmaterial yofthe panels,.thisr sameness of material presents no discrepancy bei tween the materialin thejoint and the materialvin theV panels adjacent thereto, and results in the appearance of a continuous panel..Y

` As-has kbeen described, the wedge shaped mem- ,berV I4 is inserted into the seam or crack I3 under pressure.

member rI4 was secured in place by pressure and by gluing, therefore, considerable resistance Y is 'afforded' to counteract the eiect of the expansion ofthe panels on the joint. I havexfound in practice. that the usual expansions'obtaining are not sufficient `to effect the joint,` as my joint has a Ygreater'st'rength than` the panels themselves in..

vresisting expansion. In other words, inthe event of contraction of thepanels, the wedge shaped rmember I4,-which is under compression, will'expand to prevent any damage to the joints, and in theeventof expansion ofthe panels, the; move` ment caused by expansion will be spread/uni@ y 1 formlyV over the panels and will not damage'the' joints, Vas i'the combined resistance against the pressure due toexpansion afforded by the nails place, they may be countersunk and lledrwith the VVusual practice in the wood In Fig. '7 I' have shown units,l sorthatthe Vapexes ofthe wedge shaped I members projectiina'comb like fashion. Two

units of wedge shapedmembers will then intert and can Ybe readily shipped from placeto place vWithout damage.- Furthermore, the saidgwedge shaped members I4 may be cut rapidly by ordi- Although my joint naryf'lumber working machinery, andi thecost of production of thersamein this form is reducedto aminmum.: To 'make-one of these`-wedgeA shaped membersY available for use, itvv isonly? necessaryto applyA a slight pressure to Vbreak it acterized yby its Yextreme strength. and has'rgr'aduthereof, .the above settingforth only forms of embodiment; i

' Iciaimff i A 1.7The method of joining 'together adjacent 15 Themember I4 will expand in use in` `rtheevent that the panels le or II contract. In Y Vthe'evelit that the panels I0 and, IIY expandit is Y to be' noticed that the endrportions of these panels .are firmly secured Vto the supporting member I2 bya plurality of'nails I V5. The wedge shapedp .contraction and expansion on the joint is mini- .mizedi' Y j a manner in which'rnyV Wedge shaped member III-may be cut in two" rial similarVY tol said panels fand substantially hasfwide applicationr in the art ofbuilding walls from panels, whether plaster-V .Y -board,=compressed bers, or wood, whether solid z oriveneered, is used, I have found that the same aiiy'dispiaced the use of solid lumber irimany fields. Theuse of suchV wood veneer panels in" Ywallcons'truction is highly desirable, butlt has invention, without departing from they principle panels-including the steps of securingfthe panels in plac with an opening therebetween; gluing awedge shaped filler member under compression in Vsaid opening; and smoothing off the filler f member liush` with the ysurface Vof I the panels, 20` Y vi/herebythe effect of contraction and expansion on the joint Vbetween the adjacent panels is mini.-

' mized. Y

dimensions, and arrangement of the parts of my 10 v .preferred i j 2. The KVVmethod of joining 'together adjacent Vfiller member undercompression in-Y said openpanels including the steps of securing Athe panels '25 ing; andrsmoothing oif the' filler member with the" surface of the panels. f f

i k30v 3. The method of joining together adjacent f plywoodV panels including the steps of Vsecuring the plywood panels in place with anopening of substantially-fg` of an inch therebetween';VV gluing the filler. member flush withl the surface of the panels.

' a4 wooden wedgeY shaped fillerV ymember under '35 Y compression'in said opening; and smoothing off 4. As an article of manufacture, a joint com--v e prising a'supporting member; panels securedto said supporting member with their Vadjacent end portions in close proximity;V andaV compressed Y wedge shaped ller member of a materialsimilary \to said panels glued in place between saidadjaj lcent end portions of thefpanels, theexposedsur-V` 6,

face of saidiffiller member being substantially cent panel end portions,` whereby rthe effectof e 5. As an article o fmanufacture'aioini com# prising a'supporting member; panels securedto flush with the exposed surface of the saidwa'dja'- said supporting memberwith their adjacent end Y porti'onsspaced apart approximately gth'of an inch; `and a compressed filler memberof a mate.-y

wedge shaped in cross section positioned, between said Yadjacent end portions ofthe panels; thea' exposed surface of said .filler member being substantially' flush withthe exposed surface of the .said adjacent panel 'end portions,=whereby a subfV`Y` stantially continuous surface isprovided. Y

. 6. As anarticleot manufacture, Vawlooden joint comprising a supporting member; plywoodI panels secured'to saidsupporting member with `their?adijacentfend. portions spaced apart ap-v proximately lth of aninch; and a compressed stantially continuous surface ls provided. 

